Message service messaging, such as short message service (SMS), multimedia message service (MMS), and instant messaging (IM), has become an important mode of communication for users of wireless and wireline devices. For example, users send SMS messages to each other using mobile telephone handsets. In addition, users send instant messages to each other via the Internet using personal computers. Users also use their mobile telephone handsets and/or personal computers to send video clips and photographs to each other using MMS messages.
One problem associated with current message service message delivery mechanisms is the failure to adequately screen for fraudulent message service messages. As used herein, the term “fraudulent message service message” refers to any message that is sent for an improper purpose by the sender or that is not desired by the intended recipient. Conventional methods for screening SMS messages include determining whether a message is from a subscriber for whom the recipient desires to block SMS traffic and determining whether the number of messages received within a time period exceeds a flooding threshold. While both of these methods work for their intended purposes, each requires screening on a per subscriber basis, which can become cumbersome as the number of subscribers and the volume of message traffic increase. In addition, each of these methods may fail to stop fraudulent message service message traffic that appears to be from an authorized sender and that does not cause a flooding threshold to be exceeded.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties associated with conventional message service message screening mechanisms, there exists a need for methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting and mitigating fraudulent message service message traffic.